Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis in a patient with Hodgkin's lymphoma: successful treatment with fluconazole.

The authors report a case of cryptococcal meningoencephalitis in a 22-year-old male with Hodgkin's disease at third stage B. Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated from cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and blood specimens. Latex antigen agglutination tests and India ink preparations also were positive for this pathogenic yeast. Drug treatment for a week with 20 mg i.v./day of amphotericin B in combination with 2.5 g i.v./day of 5-fluorocytosine did not lead to any improvement in the patient. The patient became asymptomatic after the first week of treatment with a daily dose of 400 mg of fluconazole, administered intravenously. After two months of this regimen, all laboratory tests on CSF and blood specimens were negative.